Padel Scoring System Explained — Points, Sets & Tie-Breaks (2026)

Padel uses the same points system as tennis — 15, 30, 40, and game. A set is won when a team reaches 6 games with at least a two-game lead. Here is how to keep score in padel, step by step.

Game Points

• 0 points = “Love”
• 1 point = 15
• 2 points = 30
• 3 points = 40
• 4 point = “Game”

Deuce

“Deuce” happens when a game is tied at 40-40. There are three official options; the one to use must be agreed before the match:

• Option 1 - “Advantage mode”

  • Next point = “Advantage”
  • If the same team wins the following point it is “Game”; otherwise it is “Deuce” again.
  • Must win by 2 consecutive points.

• Option 2 - “Star Point mode” (introduced January 2026)

  • At first deuce: “Deuce 1” is called. Winner of next point gets “Advantage 1”. If they win the next = Game; if they lose = “Deuce 2”.
  • At second deuce: “Deuce 2” called. Winner gets “Advantage 2”. Win next = Game; lose = “Deuce 3”.
  • At third deuce: A single deciding “Star Point” is played. The receiving team chooses whether to receive on the right or left side, but cannot change positions to do so.
  • In mixed doubles, the receiver of the Star Point must be the same gender as the server.

  2026 rule change: The 2021 rulebook offered only two deuce options — Advantage mode and Golden Point. The Star Point was added in January 2026 as a middle ground. The Golden Point was criticised for leaving too much to chance on a single point; the Star Point gives each team two attempts to close the game before forcing a single decider. See The Star Point Rule Explained for a full breakdown.

• Option 3 - “Golden Point mode”

  • At deuce, a single deciding “Golden Point” is played immediately.
  • The receiving team chooses whether the service is on the left or right side of the court but cannot change positions to receive.
  • In mixed matches, the receiver must be the same gender as the server.

Set Scoring

• 6 games needed to win a Set
• Must win by 2 clear games
• Tie-break at 6-6

Tie-Break

Played when a set reaches 6-6. Points are counted 0, 1, 2, … (not 15/30/40). First team to reach 7 points with a 2-point margin wins the set. Service alternates every two points; the next set is served by the team that did not open the tie-break.

See tie-break rules for full details on service order and end changes during a tie-break.

Alternative Scoring Methods

• Four games or Mini Set
  • Four games wins the set with a margin of 2 games, or tie-break if tied at 4 games.
• Tie-Break defines the match (up to 7 points)
  • When the Set score is tied, a Tie-Break game is played to decide the match. The Tie-Break replaces the last set. The first team to reach 7 points with a 2 point margin wins the Tie-Break, hence the match.
• Super Tie-Break to define the match (up to 10 points)
  • When the Set score is tied, a Tie-Break game is played to decide the match. The Tie-Break replaces the last set. The first team to reach 10 points with a 2 point margin wins the Tie-Break, hence the match.

See alternative scoring methods for official FIP-permitted format variations.

For a full summary of everything that changed in the January 2026 FIP revision, see Padel Rules 2026 — What Changed.

New to padel? See What is Padel? for a beginner’s overview. For a side-by-side scoring comparison with tennis, see Padel vs Tennis — Key Rule Differences.